Chile: Justice gets closer
By upholding the ruling made by Judge Guzman and the decision of the Santiago Courts of Appeal on the Pinochet case,
the Chilean Supreme Court has today made a decisive step towards justice, said Amnesty International.
In a voting 3-2, the judges of the Chilean higher court ruled that Augusto Pinochet should stand trial on charges of
human rights abuses -- nine charges of kidnapping and one of murder -- committed in the context of the "Operation
Condor."
"During the 1970s and 80s, many governments in Latin-American joined efforts to commit the most terrible human rights
violations. The latest decisions taken by the Chilean judicial system in the fight against impunity must be an example
for others to follow. Until other countries take concrete action against human rights violations, impunity in
Latin-America will continue to prevail."
Background information
Augusto Pinochet will be the first former head of state to be brought to justice on charges of human rights violations
committed in the context of the "Condor Operation" -- a well elaborated strategy agreed between the military governments
ruling in Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Bolivia, during the 1970’s and 80’s, with the aim of combining
forces to persecute, arrest and torture political opponents, many of whom continue to be "disappeared".
View all documents on Chile at http://amnesty-news.c.topica.com/maac2znabc2k9bb0hPub/